Tom Mooney 1975 to 1981

Thursday, 22 December 2005 05:00

A super fast and strong winger Tom Mooney came to Manly in 1975 after spending 3 seasons with South Sydney. He came to Sydney from South Lismore in 1972 but was born and bred in Wauchope on the mid north coast of NSW.

He was always excitable and easily provoked in his younger days but was a prolific try scorer at both South Sydney and Manly. However he career blossomed when he came across the bridge to Brookvale, as he was on the end of a sensational Sea Eagles back line that contained club legends like Bob Fulton, Graham Eadie
A super fast and strong winger Tom Mooney came to Manly in 1975 after spending 3 seasons with South Sydney. He came to Sydney from South Lismore in 1972 but was born and bred in Wauchope on the mid north coast of NSW.

He was always excitable and easily provoked in his younger days but was a prolific try scorer at both South Sydney and Manly. However he career blossomed when he came across the bridge to Brookvale, as he was on the end of a sensational Sea Eagles back line that contained club legends like Bob Fulton, Graham Eadie and Alan Thompson.

The reliable finisher topped the season try scoring list twice in his career in 1976 and 1979 and surprisingly never gained higher representative honours despite being an integral member of the Manly side which dominated Rugby League in the 1970s.

He won premiership medals with the Sea Eagles in 1976 and 1978; he was Manlys lone try scorer in the 1978 drawn Grand Final against Cronulla when he dived on a bomb from Manlys English second rower Phil Lowe. The try is well remembered by long time fans due to Channel 7 commentator, Rex Mossop describing Lowes bomb as a High, High Garry Owen!â€ during the TV coverage of the match.

When the ball was loose on the ground after the kick was spilt, a number of players from both sides converged on the ball with Mooney planting his hand on the ball just before it went over the dead ball line. In the mad scramble for the pill, referee Greg Hartley took a tumble but still awarded the try when he regained his feet, much to the ire of Cronulla fans.

Tom retired at the end of 1981 after playing 163 games for the Seasiders and scoring an enormous 83 tries. He then moved to Ballina and became a successful publican owning a number of hotels in the Area.

Possibly the triumph of Mooneys career was when he was named as a winger in Manlys team of its first 40 years in the premiership, back in 1987. It will be interesting to see if he manages to hang on to the position when the 60th anniversary team is announced in 2006. However after 2 premierships and 83 tries for the Sea Eagles I certainly believe he is a great chance to a repeat performance as one of the best two wingers to play out of Brookvale Oval.

Tom Mooney could score a try

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